How is the Réunion-Metropolitan France market faring this year?
Hugues Marchessaux - Réunion is still a very attractive destination, as can be seen from the traffic figures. The market is no more difficult than before, but it has become more competitive. There are four competing airlines, making it one of the most competitive routes in the world. I have to say that all these carriers - including Air Austral - performed well this year. Probably because the summer of 2024 was marked by a slight downturn due to the Olympic Games in Paris. Many regular travellers preferred to avoid the capital. Nevertheless, traffic is back on the rise. We even recorded record load factors, around 86-87 % at certain periods. The Réunion-Paris route remains the third busiest long-haul route from Paris, just after New York and Montreal.
Against a backdrop of global uncertainty, would you say that Réunion remains a safe haven?
Hugues Marchessaux - Absolutely. It's a stable, attractive and safe destination. Even if the international economy remains fragile, Réunion continues to attract and retain visitors. That's what we're seeing with our partners: despite the prevailing gloom, the island remains a safe tourist destination and a major business market for France. And our sales dynamic is very positive.
What about Mayotte? Has the market regained stability?
Hugues Marchessaux - Mayotte remains a complex market, but one that has nevertheless regained momentum. After the difficulties caused by the terrible cyclone Chido in December 2024, we have seen a gradual recovery. Traffic held steady in the spring and summer of 2025. We now operate up to nine weekly frequencies to the island between Réunion and Mayotte. With very good load factors.
Pure tourism is still limited, mainly due to security problems and infrastructure reconstruction, which are holding back some visitors. On the other hand, affinity and business traffic remains strong, particularly between Mayotte, Réunion and mainland France.
The Mahorais often complain about the high fares when travelling to mainland France or Réunion. Are you trying to remedy this?
Hugues Marchessaux - We are aware of this. However, several structural factors explain these fares: the cost of infrastructure and fuel, which is twice as expensive in Mayotte as in Réunion. As well as the smaller size of the aircraft, which means a higher cost per passenger. Our aircraft have a capacity of around 260 seats, compared with 430 on the Réunion-Paris route. We are, however, making efforts: call fares have not been increased for several years and we have introduced supportive fares for Mahoran patients who have to travel to Réunion, as well as for their accompanying families.
What are your network development plans?
Hugues Marchessaux - Our strategy is clear: to strengthen connectivity in the Indian Ocean and beyond. We want to facilitate connections between the islands, but also to major hubs for connecting flights. Our strategy is based on serving three major hubs around the world: Paris for Europe, Bangkok for Asia and Johannesburg for Africa. For Johannesburg, we have signed a new agreement with the South African carrier Airlink for regional connections. We also want to strengthen our position to Bangkok. In the near future, we should gradually increase to 4 weekly flights.
You have just signed an agreement with the German carrier Condor. What are the prospects?
Hugues Marchessaux - The agreement with Condor is an important step for Air Austral in the diversification of our markets. We are targeting the German market, which is very sensitive to nature and landscapes. Réunion has a real asset here: spectacular natural scenery, unlike Mauritius, which is more focused on the beach. The agreement provides for German passengers to be taken from Frankfurt to Mauritius, then connected to Réunion. If it proves a success, other operations - or even a direct flight from Germany - could follow.
What changes are in store for the fleet?
Hugues Marchessaux - We will be replacing our oldest aircraft in the next one to two years with more modern aircraft that also offer more capacity. By 2027, this will enable us to improve the reliability and comfort of our long-haul product.
What's new for the customer experience?
Hugues Marchessaux - We have just launched the digital boarding pass. In early 2026, we will unveil our new MyCapricorn frequent flyer programme. It will be simpler and more flexible, with the possibility of accumulating and using points on all Air Austral services. And not just on flights. It will also incorporate a cash + points system, much more practical for our regular travellers.
